Wiandre Pretorius, a 41-year-old former police reservist implicated in the ongoing Madlanga Commission of Inquiry, has died in an apparent suicide at a filling station in Brakpan, east of Johannesburg. The incident occurred on Saturday night, where Pretorius allegedly shot himself in front of his fiancée and a family friend following an argument, with a video of the event circulating on social media.
This tragic event comes just days after Pretorius survived a brazen assassination attempt on Thursday, during which unknown assailants fired 16 shots at him outside his home in Van Dyk Park, Boksburg. National Police Spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe confirmed the suicide, noting that an inquest docket has been opened. Forensic experts, detectives, and specialists are actively investigating the circumstances surrounding his death.
Mathe urged the public to refrain from speculation, stating that authorities cannot yet confirm any connection between the suicide, the prior hit attempt, or Pretorius’s role in the Madlanga Commission. However, she disclosed that Pretorius was a person of interest in the December 2025 murder of Marius “Vlam” van der Merwe, also known as Witness D. Van der Merwe had testified at the commission, implicating Pretorius in the 2022 killing and subsequent dumping of Emmanuel Mbense’s body in Ekurhuleni—allegedly carried out on orders from suspended Ekurhuleni Metro Police Deputy Chief Julius Mkhwanazi.
Following the assassination attempt, police seized Pretorius’s firearms and cellphones, which remain in custody for forensic analysis. The Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) recently wrapped up its investigation into the Mbense incident, handing the case docket over to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) last week.
These developments have amplified calls for bolstered security for witnesses, persons of interest, and commission staff. Advocates are pushing for expedited resolutions to inquiries probing political interference and misconduct within South Africa’s criminal justice system, highlighting ongoing concerns about safety and integrity in high-profile cases.
